Combination spot and trouble light



Sept. 23,` 1952 Y l C. sgMoNs 2,611,834

- COMBINATION sPoT AND TROUBLE LIGHT Fiied April 13, 1949 40 43/ Z 25 20 /00 Za. INVENToR.

.. a? a@ MMM n 3A 25a-J Patented Sept. 23, 19252 UNITED#-STA'TES PATENT.;

2,611,834 i ooMBiNATIoN sroT AND TROUBLE LIGHT f Cal Simons, Detroit, Mich.

l L-"applieatin April 1s, 1949, serial No. 87,225 lf v 1 2 claims. (c1. iai- 1an `'lhisinvention relatesfto portable lights and more particularly *tof-'a combination, spot and trouble light. The present light may be conveniently connected in the cigar or cigarette lighter receptacle available in all `modernmotor vehicle, and may be stored when notinuse in the glove compartment'or'spring clip mounted in any convenient juxtaposed areawithin said vehicle .for use. However, thepresent character ofllight may also without any modifications, exceptingre-r lplacement of a suitable caliber of bulb, be used as a domestic orhouselight. By the utilization of thebattery current circuit in a. motorfvehicle the increased illuminating efliciency that is thus gained, is contrasted with `a conventional flashlight, of comparable size. i The primary object o1 the present invention resides in a trouble light having a conventional size outercasebut affording the relative efficiency of illuminati-on ofa'vehicle Ibattery circuit.:

Another objectresides in a combinationzspot and trouble-light-havinga convenient eXtensible circuit wire, that Vcan lbe..maintained at any. desired length, obviating the kusual snarling, land deterioration incumbent in contemporary 'de-y signs, wherein the cord is not reWO-und.' A further object may be appreciated in'sthe combination unitary circuit, affording the user a single wire compound in design. A still further object resides in a combination spot and trouble light of a simple design, economical of manufacture and durable in use.v

The foregoing, and other ancillary objects will appear hereinafter.

Similar reference characters appear in the several views, of the drawing, in which: l f Fig. 1 is an elevational viewvoi" the invention and the contact plug adapted to be insertedin a llighter receptacle of a vehicle, f Y

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectionalview taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing the Vpawl andratchet mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken showing the plural character of the circuit wire which the contact plug is keyed or secured in the end closure of the light case, and Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional to Fig. 3, of a modied stop or pawl and ratchet view, similar means operating to he, amountthezircit wire that is paid out, when infuse.

'Ihe lcombination' spotand trouble light'com''A prises generally an outer case 2, thatissimilfalf to o-r can be -a conventional iiashlight'case. "Ihe forward end has threadedly mounted thereon, the ca p 4, retaining the glassy 6, and reflector, light assembly 8, in the case. .'lhe opposite or rear end has a suitable threadedl;7 mounted closure cap I0, fdr-"maintaining 'parts therein. I have preierably shown in this instance a screw type light bulb l2, having a contactend I4 communicating with other means to-be rrnesently described.

The parts comprising the mechanism ,j lare shown as an assembly generally `indicated asjat I6, and are preasseinbled 'and mountedjin the case 2.l The assembly 16, ris Yprovided'with' .an insulator plate and conductor-plate I8 and l2D respectively and insulator plate I8 is shown riveted into the case 2. However for conveniencethe conductor'plate 20 may-be riveted only. Coaxial equally spaced longitudinal rods, 22, 24,' and 26', are secured to end plates i8 and 2l). y

A circuit -wire drum 28, is journalled on the flanged plate 30, nxedly mounted upon the insulator plate 18,-and at its other end rli'sclosed by the plate 32, of the pawl and ratchet mechanism. A close wound,coil torsion spring 34, is anchored at one end to the plate 30, and havingf'i'ts free end secured to the wire drum 28 as at jtfl'iusfit can be observed that as the drum'is rotatedfthe k spring '3.4 is" woundand the storedl energy, serves' to drive the Wire rdrum in theoppcsite direction. Referring to Fig.l3, ofthe drawingflhave shown a pawl and ratchet mechanism, liavingtheratchet 3`8`,fland1 the pawls 4B, this arrangementservesito operate unidirectionally and retain the storedup pre-load energy of the torsion spring 1 forv rewinding a circuit vvire 42. The functional?cl'iar`-I acter of the wire drum '28,"spring 34,.,angd theV circuit vwirefiZ, is comparable to a conventional windowshade rewind mechanism.

The torsion spring' 34 is guided or piloted upon a spool 44 having the plate 32 of the pawl .and ratchet mechanism secured thereto lat one end, and having a bushing 1S iitted therein, and said bushing being similarly tted into the plates I8 Iand 3B, for assembly. The bushing 4S is bored as at 48 for the pin contact 50, for carrying the hot or positive end of the circuit to the light bulb contact I4. An enlarged head 52 on contact pin 50, slides in a bore 48, of the bushing 46, and is spring biased by a coil spring 56, maintaining the light contacts. A hole 58 extends for the greater 3 wire 60, supplying one end of the circuit. A contact pin B2, is mounted in a bore 64, in the spool 44 and carries the ground end of the circuit Wire 66, to the case 2, by cont-act pin extension 68, in the conductor plate 20, and thence to the case. The contact pin extension 68 (Fig. 4) extends thru the end plate 20. This plate formed of conductor material conducts current to the outer flashlight casing 2 byk virtue of being pressed therein. The other end of the'circuit is completed by the wire 69 thru spring 56, contact end I4 to the central contact of the bulb l2 thru the 4 reotionally only as by rotating in the opposite direction it cannot raise the ratchet pin 94, against the spring 92.

While I have described the principal embodiments of my invention, it is appreciated, those skilled in the art may make certain alterations, modifications or additions, and I should like to avail myself of any or all that may come within thepurview of the appended claims.

IQclaim: A

1. In a' combination spot and trouble light of i the class described, comprising: an outer casing bulb filament and thence to the reflector assembly 8, that is held in contact by the end cap 4.

to: the outer casing The circuit wire 42, is of a plural or dual character, that is, having an inner hot wire 59,y

suitably insulated and having an outer armor sheath conductor, providing the groundy end .66, f

of the circuit. The circuit wire is fastened at the forward end of the wire drum 28, and is adapted to yieldably unwindagainst the pre-load of the torsion spring 34, vandfis stopped ins-uitable invcrementlengths by the pawl and ratchet mechanism for use.

A longitudinal slot 10, isvformed in the case 2, and admits the circuit wire asl it is paid out lengthwise on the wire drum, 29. The uniform rewinding of the circuit wire 42, is obtained by a level wind ferrule 12,- rotatably 26, shown in Fig. 5- of the drawing 1 A receptacle contact plug 14, havingia spring biased contact end 16, and vperipheral contacts 18, completes the circuit inthe vehicle lighter contact receptacle. f'

To eectively resist inadvertent unwinding of the pawl and ratchet mechanism, I provide a flat portion 80, at the end of the contact extension 68, that is fitted into a similar flat shaped aperture in the end of the receptacle plug 74. The receptacle plug is similarly secured or keyed into the end closure cap lll, by virtue oi the lugs or projections 82, fitting into cooperating similar shaped apertures in said cap. 'Ihus the Aextension 68, having the ratchet 3B, thereon is positively held against rotation. f

Ihave shown in Fig. 7, of the drawing a modified form of stop mechanism operable from outside case. In this instance the case 2a, has a mounted on the screw thread formed on the rod housing `84, thereon and extending` therein. .1A

plunger 86, has a finger button 88, outside and formed on its inner end an extension having a taper bore 90, Aand is spring biased by the compression spring 92. A ratchet pin 94 has an abutment 9S, riding against the spring 92, urging the pin into engagement with ratchet flat 98, secured to thecircuit wire drum 28a. When it is desired to stop the wire drum at any desired instant allowing the circuit wire 42a to unwind, the plungeris pressed downwardly by the ringer button 88,

and the taper bore 90, will engage the taper extension |00 of the ratchet pin 94, and the spring tension of the torsion spring will be overruledby the locking of the ratchet pin 94, and the ratchet fiat 98. When the ratchet pin 94, is free to rise, the ratchet iiat will be allowed to rotate unidicontaining a torsion spring loaded electrical circuit wire drum Vjournalled in an insulator and a conductor plate in said casing, adapted to pay -outfsaid electrical circuit wire and having a selecltivepawland ratchet means for limiting with- 'drawal of said electrical circuit Wire, a light bulb iconnected in circuit with said electrical cirmaintain when not in use a cigarette lighterA receptacle contact plug adapted to be removed and inserted into the receptacle of the cigarette lighter socket in an automobile for power, said receptacle contact plug having suitable contacts in circuit with said electrical circuit wire for the conduction of current for operation of the iilament in said light bulb.

v2. In an electrical receptacle plug mounting for spotter trouble lights, an outer'casing containing a suitable 'winding mechanism for a circuit wire having one .end thereof connected to a light bulb mounted'atv one end of the outer casing and having at the other end, an electrical receptacle contact plug, said contact plugadapted to be received in an aperture in an end closure cap threadedly mounted at the other end of the outer casing and the said contact plug having at one end a rectangular aperture therein for frictionally engaging the flattened end of a contact extension ofthe winding mechanism, said receptacle plug mounting adapted to permit convenient insertion and withdrawl of said Velectrical receptacle contact plug whenthe spot or trouble light is in use or stored.

CAL SIMONS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

